Black Fire Circus
by iWrite4Cassidy
Summary: When empty promises he made in his past come to effect him in the present, Zuko realizes he will never stop being Fire Nation Royalty.
1. Chapter 1

**Ma new story guyz! :) Aren't you excited? :D This is a story that I think about every night, and it kinda just keeps expanding in my mind. So I really need to develop it so I can move on with finishing my novel and stop thinking about ATLA, gosh! Alright just to let you know, everything in this story will stay canon, except my OC. Even though I'm a Zutara and Tokka shipper this story will be Kataang, Sukka, Maiko, and Toph will remain lonely just as Bryke decided it would be (SCREW THEM FOR THAT). What am I rambling about? I have a story to start! Please enjoy! :3 **

**Zuko's POV BTW!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, the characters, blah blah blah...**

Chapter 1: Discovery

"Stop stomping around like that Zuko, you're scaring away all the fish." Sokka looked at him with a frustrated expression.

"Am I? Sorry." He replied half heartedly. It wasn't his fault Zuko grew up in the Fire Nation. It wasn't his fault for most of his life he had all his food handed to him on a silver platter... literally. And it wasn't his fault Zuko had no idea how to fish. Not only was he incompetent with a spear, he hated being wet. Sokka, on the other hand, was practically a professional. He had successfully speared at least fifteen fish and wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon. But he didn't expect anything less coming from a young man who grew up in the South Pole, where fish was served with almost every meal.

Zuko decided he was better off on land collecting from the fruit trees and bushes around the river he was standing in. Plus, he wanted to show Sokka he wasn't completely useless. He had just joined the Avatar's group, with great difficulty to say the least, and so far everything had been extremely awkward. After nearly three years of trying to capture the Avatar, he was now sleeping at the same campsite as him? It was almost laughable. But he knew it was the right thing to do. And he was trying his best to do the right thing.

"I'm going to gather some fruit." he called in Sokka's direction.

"I think that's a good idea." Sokka replied a little too harshly. But Zuko understood. It couldn't be too easy accepting a new ally that was previously your enemy. No, not just enemy. Number one enemy.

It was the dead middle of summer so a lot of the fruit trees were bare with all the bruised food underneath them. But the bushes were still bursting with berries, so he lifted their makeshift basket, and started picking.

Stupid Katara. It was her idea for him and Sokka to go on this four day fishing trip in the first place. He refused right away but of course Aang was completely for anything Katara had to suggest. So now here they were. Two days in and completely miserable.

After stripping all the bushes, Zuko moved on to the trees to see if he could scavenge a few fruits. He was about to call it quits when Sokka called out to him.

"Z-Zuko! Zuko!" he yelled.

In less than two seconds Zuko was on his feet and running back toward the river. Had the Fire Nation found him already? No way, he left almost no trace when he left. But still.. Azula, his insanely genius and violent sister, was incredibly persistent. He had no way to prepare for what he was to find when he reached the river. But he wish he had.

Sokka was kneeling over something, no someone, with a pained expression. Zuko walked forward to see that the someone was a girl. Not much younger than he was. He broke into a sprint until he too was kneeling by the girl. Her dark hair covered her face. And her bare midriff top showed a knife wound. Zuko swallowed the painful lump in his throat.

"Is she-" he started but couldn't finish.

" She has a pulse but it's unsteady, and her skin's really cold." he said in a calm tone. "We better get her to Katara." He finished.

"Sokka, It's a whole day and night's trip back. I don't think she'll make it that-"

"Well we have to try!" He yelled.

"Okay, you're right. Grab the basket of fish and fruit. I'll carry the girl back to the war balloon."

Sokka didn't object, but he ran back to his fishing supplies. Zuko turned and bent down to pick up the girl, trying not to disturb her wound. When he gathered her in his arms, he realized that she was incredibly light. Like she had been malnourished for many years. As he started making the short trip back to his war balloon, he peered down at the girl to make sure she was unconscious. Her lightly tanned skin seemed pretty bruised and scarred. Like she had been in a few knife fights. Was that how she got this knife wound? Her face was soft looking, but the furrow between her brow showed that she was not resting peacefully.

The twisting in his gut came right after the realization. Then he was running. He ran to the war balloon and gently set down the girl. That girl. He sunk down next to her and breathed heavily, sweating bullets.

It wasn't long before Sokka walked onto the balloon, with all the supplies in his hand, to find Zuko sitting on the bottom of the war balloon.

"Zuko? What's wrong? Is she.. did she-" Zuko looked up at Sokka, pain clearly on his face. When he opened his mouth to speak his voice was hoarse.

"I know this girl."

**Well...Yeah. That's the first chapter. ^.^ I hope you liked it. Please R&R! Heck even flame it if you want. The next chapter is already written but I want to see the reception it will get before I even bother continuing. Until next time my peoples :)**

**- 3 Cassy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello my lovelies! :D Here is chapter numero dos! That's right, I took spanish for 2 years ;)**

**I call this chapter 1.5 because I had absolutely no time this week to write and I'm going camping for a week, but I do want to leave you with something. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this except for the plot and my OC.**

Chapter 2: Pit

Shock, disbelief, then confusion flashed across Sokka's face.

"What do you mean you know her? Is she Fire Nation?" Zuko rose to his feet and started the process of getting the war balloon off the ground. Using his bending to get the flames started, and letting the sand out onto the field where they landed, the balloon started to feel weightless and slowly lift off the ground.

"It's a long story." Zuko started. He waited a little bit before he spoke again. This was not a story that he liked to think about, let alone tell to someone who hardly trusted him in the first place. He chose his words wisely before continuing.

" I met her at a Fire Nation circus, just in passing. I don't even know her name." All of these things were true. He technically wasn't lying to Sokka. But he knew that once the whole truth came out, his small truth was going to sound like a huge lie.

"Okay." Sokka said slowly. It was obvious he wanted a better explanation, but he was smart enough not to press for more. He would get his answers soon.

The ride back to the Western Air Temple was long and awkward, with Sokka who didn't even like him that much and an unconscious girl on the floor of the air balloon whose bleeding had at least stopped enough for them to hope that she survived. When he saw the temples that had seemingly been built upside down, he couldn't help feeling relieved.

As soon as they touched down Sokka jumped out to find Katara. He turned his head back to Zuko.

"Get her and bring her to the main site. I'll bring Katara there."

"Okay." Zuko didn't object. He was obviously the stronger of the two. He turned back to the girl, and again scooped her in his arms, trying not to disturb the wound. The walk back to the main campsite wasn't as long as his last walk with the girl in his arms, so he wasn't out of breath once he placed her on one of the soft mats that was Katara's extra bag they used when people were wounded or ill.

It wasn't long after that Katara followed by Aang, and Sokka came running to him.

" How is her bleeding, has it stopped yet?" Katara said right away in the calm motherly tone that she uses.

"Yes. It stopped about thirty minutes ago, but her breathing is unsteady and her skin is abnormally cold." Zuko replied, a lot less calm than she was. Which made him sound like a child. He took a few deep breaths before speaking again.

"Her knife wound is pretty deep."

"It will take a while but she should be fine if I work on her all night. Sokka said you know her?" Katara questioned while looking up at him. Zuko swallowed hard before answering.

"Uh, yeah. I met her a few years ago, but just in passing. I don't even know her name." Zuko looked over to Aang who was eyeing him cautiously. After three long seconds of awkward eye contact, Zuko sharply turned his head in the other direction.

"Oh. Okay. Well this will take a while so I need you three to cook dinner. Just the rest of the rice and the fish that you guys caught." Katara said, already preparing her capable hands with the water she'd be using to heal the girl's wound.

"More like the Fish _I _caught." Sokka said jokingly. Zuko gave him an evil look but didn't take the comment to heart. Aang laughd and started to walk back with Sokka after giving a knowing look to Katara. What was that about? He waited until they had left before he turned to her.

"Katara?" He said quietly.

"Yes?" She answered without looking away from her work.

"Make sure she lives okay?" He said in an almost whispered tone. He blushed and turned away before Katara had time to look at him. He was just walking away when Katara spoke.

"Of course."

**This is only half the chapter. I'll post the next half when I get back! Please review!**

**3 Cassy**


	3. Chapter 3

**The hiatus is over! I have so much time to write these days, yay. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 3: Black Fire Circus**

It took two nights for the girl to regain consciousness. Katara was a miracle worker. Her expert hands and water bending mastery saved the girl from blood poisoning and broken bones. Katara guessed that she had acquired her injuries from an attacker. Most likely an animal according to the canine shaped puncture wounds located mainly on her neck and other various places around her body.

Zuko waited inside his room, in one of the air temple buildings, when he heard that she had came to. He didn't want to upset her further when she was sure to be more than disoriented waking up in a strange place. They could only hope that the Avatar's presence would be enough to convince her she was safe. He wasn't even sure she'd remember him. Was the memory as vivid for her as it was for him? He didn't know. But he did want to stay on the safe side. He stuck to pacing around the tight space of his room.

The day he met the girl started out unusually. That morning his not so loving father had offered to take him and his sister Azula to a popular circus located in the Fire Nation, the Black Fire Circus. It was not common for the Fire Lord to offer to do anything for his children in his spare time but Zuko didn't think much of it. Besides, a trip to the circus? To the twelve year old version of himself, that actually sounded like fun. Which was not something he came by often.

The trip to the location was only two hours by private air ship, and they arrived at the circus in no time. Unsurprisingly, the large tent was decorated with their signature red and gold colors, and of course, the insignia of the Fire Nation. Upon entrance, Zuko could smell the various circus foods, and even different animals they must have kept there for the show. Looking around he saw circus people, regular people, and exotic animals that he had never seen wondering in and around the palace.

Taking their royal seats for the show, Zuko looked up at his father. His heart sunk. The Firelord's face was a mask of business. Not the joy or amusement Zuko had hoped for. Flooded with disappointment that his father was not enjoying himself, he stole a glance at Azula. No surprise, she was wearing her usual look of self satisfaction and smugness.

It was a brilliant showcase. The performers were stunning and talented. People were constantly gasping, and jumping out of their seats. When the show ended, even the Firelord stood for a standing ovation. As they were preparing to leave, the Firelord requested to speak with the circus official. Business stuff. Zuko tried to ask his father where the restroom was but he was quickly waved away. He decided to search on his own. Azula stood obediently at his father's left side, paying attention to the business talk closely.

There were no signs to aid him, and he was too shy to ask one of the crazy looking circus people, he had to blindly wander the tent until he could find it himself. He stalked past cages and cages of unique animals. He approached a dimly lit area, sectioned off by a draping red cloth, that looked promising. Looking around he noticed that he had strayed way off from where people had been mulling around. He was completely alone.

Pulling back the cloth, he gasped in horror.

Cages upon cages, the same ones they used to store the animals, were full of people. People that didn't look much older than him. Some even younger, boys and girls alike.

He ran up to the cage closest to him. A girl, his age. She looked up at him with large brown eyes, a dirty face and a bloated body that screamed malnourishment.

"W-why? Why are you locked up like this? Like an animal?" he stammered in a hoarse voice. He was scared. Terrified. Whatever was happening, he was sure it was extremely wrong, and he should not be there. The girl jumped up clutching the bars of the cage with her tiny hands and startling Zuko.

"Can you help us?" she asked urgently. He didn't understand. What were all these people-kids doing here locked up like circus animals? He shook his head.

"I don't know, what can I do?" he could feel the lump in his throat choking back the sob that was fighting to be free.

" Listen, " the girl said with snapping urgency. "You have to try and break the lock, you hear me? Can you firebend?" He shook his head slowly, trying to clear it.

"Only a little." he said slowly "Not enough to break the cage." he uttered hopelessly.

"Please, you have to try. For everyone here you have to try!" she pleaded with him.

He nodded slowly and assumed his form.

"Step back." he said with just a bit of confidence. She quickly obeyed and crouched in the back corner of the cage.

Taking a deep breath just like he was taught, he tried to conjure as much power as he could. He used all the anger he had stored up from this entire situation, and channeled it into his bending. Finally, a blast of fire shot straight at the lock. His heart fluttered in triumph, and the people in the nearby cages gave a shout of joy. Their victory was not long lived, however. When Zuko picked up the lock, it was as strong and as unmovable as ever.

He crashed into the cage with fury and frustration.

"I'm sorry… I couldn't do it." he muttered.

The girl only gave him a look of pure agony. Tears welled in her eyes and Zuko's heart shattered. Some of the kids had started to cry.

"I can get help. I can grab my dad!" he said with a surge of hope. The girl shook her head in sorrow.

"That will only get you and your dad killed." she said quietly.

"No, you don't understand." he said suddenly excited. "My dad's the Firelord! He can fix this!" The girl looked up at Zuko with wonder.

"You're a prince? Your dad's the Firelord?" She was jumping up inside the cage now. "We could actually leave! We can break free! The Firelord will save us all!" she exclaimed happily. Kids everywhere were cheering now. The girl suddenly turned and shushed them.

"Do you wish for them to come back?" she turned back to Zuko. "Prince, you must go and get your father, the Firelord. He's our last chance." she spoke clearly to him. Zuko nodded his head and looked down at her.

"I promise, I'm going to get you out. I'll be back soon." he turned back the way he came and ran. Ran as fast as he could to get back to his father. Surely he would set them free, and shut down this awful circus. He turned his head back one last time to look at the girl.

"I promise!" he yelled back at her.

He tried as hard as he could to not slam into people as he quickly made his way back to his father. He was soon met with the Firelord's disapproving scowl and Azula's usual smug face.

"Busted." Azula taunted him But Zuko didn't have time for Azula's behavior. Almost out of breath, he stopped in front of his father.

"Father, I-"

"Zuko, where have you been? You just disappear without telling anyone? Without telling me?" he boomed. Zuko shook his head, he didn't have time to apologize

"Father you don't understand, there are children back there, locked up! We need to-"

"Silence, Zuko!" Ozai snapped. Zuko obeyed his father's command. Ozai continued,

" We are leaving now. You are to go straight to the air ship, and not to ever speak of this day ever again. Do I make myself clear?" Zuko looked at him incredulously.

"But-" he was quickly cut off,

"Not. Another. Word. Understood?" Zuko nodded, defeated. He knew he couldn't go against the Firelord's commands without seeing huge consequences. He made his way back to the airship with a pit in his stomach.

Azula practically skipped next to him.

"What are you so happy about?" he questioned with disgust.

"Oh, nothing." she trilled "Just a lovely trip to the circus, wouldn't you agree?" she mused. Zuko practically shouted back at her.

Azula this is serious! There were kids back there, locked up in cages!" she simply shrugged.

"Father already knows that dumb-dumb." she rolled her eyes at him. "Why did you think we came here today?" Zuko was shocked. No way his father knew of the horrors that were happening inside the Black Fire Circus. Azula was lying, of course. Azula always lies.

"No." was all he could muster. He was beginning to feel sick to his stomach.

"Whatever you wish to believe, Zu-Zu." she mocked. "Why are you so concerned anyways? They're just war prisoners." That fact didn't even matter to him at that point. They were still children, just like him.

" Just remember you're forbidden to speak about this day ever again." Her voice betrayed a bit of concern, probably not for him.

Could he seriously live the rest of his life as if he never saw those children locked up like that? He was sure he couldn't. He was also sure he had to.

Overwhelming dread came over him for the rest of that day, and days after that. Years passed and he learned to choke down the memory every time it surfaced his thoughts. At age sixteen, he had almost forgotten the incident entirely. Almost.

Now here he was destined to face the girl again. What would he say to her? He had let her, and all those people, down. He was ashamed. He had dishonored his word.

A quick rapping at his door signaled his time to face the very memory he had become an expert in smothering. Sokka peeked his head into the room, nodding his head. Zuko took a deep breath.

"I'm ready."

**I appreciate any and all reviews and criticism, thank you.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my butterflies! I bless you with another chapter. Please enjoy ^_^**

**I've decided to do my updates on Mondays ****J**

**Sophie Segard you have no choice but to enjoy or I will cut you.**

Chapter 4: Pure Evil

Zuko could not rid of the pit rolling around in his stomach, making him feel uneasy. As they walked to the makeshift infirmary, Sokka tried to calm his nerves by filling him in on everything the girl had told the Gaang.

"Her name is Yana. She was so freaked out when she woke up, she attacked Katara! But once she saw Aang…" His voice took on a somber tone, "…she started crying. She told us she had escaped from a war prison in the Fire Nation." At that, Zuko cringed. "She almost made it unharmed, but they had sent attack wolf-bats after her and they eventually caught up to her at the place we found her." he finished.

They were almost at the site when Sokka suddenly stopped.

Zuko, how did you meet Yana? Her mother gave birth to her in the prison, and she just escaped… so how…?" he trailed off.

Zuko inhaled deeply. There was no point in hiding anything now, his darkest secret was coming out to the very people he did not want knowing, whether he liked it or not.

"I met her while she was in the prison. It was disguised as a circus and she and many others were locked up there. I tried to break them free but I couldn't. Afterwards, I was forbidden to talk about that day ever again, by the Firelord himself. I was only a kid." The words came out quicker and easier than he thought they would. Finally, he had told someone. He felt as if thousands of bags of sand had been lifted off his shoulders, but his heart was still clenched in anxiety. Sokka just stared at him, his face unreadable. Finally, he spoke.

"It's going to be really hard to face her then, huh?" he said, his usual humor-filled tone gone completely. Zuko just nodded, a lump forming in the center of his throat. Sokka coughed and continued on,

"Let's go on then." and they did.

Approaching the infirmary, Zuko's stomach did back flips. He could see her now, sitting with Aang, Katara and Toph. She had washed, her hair was now combed, and she was wearing fire nation clothes, probably one of Katara's disguises. Katara saw them coming, nodded and turned to the girl,

"Yana, this is the last member of our group. He's going to help us defeat the Firelord too. He was with Sokka when they found you." she said slowly. Yana stood up and walked to him. She bowed,

"My name is Yana, very pleased to meet you. Thank you for saving my life." Her voice was smooth and filled the air with the strength of a leader. Zuko bowed back.

"It was nothing." he could barely speak. "But we've met before." His body shook with fear, not of her anger but of his shame. He was sure it was burning on his face, the shame he felt.

She looked at him, not understanding.

"I'm sorry but that's impossi…" she trailed off and it was obvious as soon as the recognition hit her.

She took on an expression that contrasted her earlier serene look, and scared Zuko to the core. She straightened at the waist and stared at him before her arm swung behind her and came down onto his face with surprising strength. Several of them gasped. Zuko stood, not resisting. She came back at him full force, maliciously attacking him with kicks and punches. They weren't too painful, it was obvious she was drained quickly and was probably hurting herself as much as she was hurting him.

Sokka eventually managed to drag Yana off of him, after much of Katara and Aang's pleading. But not before she managed to spit a wad of saliva into Zuko's good eye.

"You!" she yelled at him. "You 're the one! The one that betrayed us. You betrayed us!" she was crying now, and it was taking all of Sokka's strength to hold her back.

"I'm-" Zuko started, but Yana interrupted him,

"Don't you dare say you're sorry. You have no right to be sorry. What are you doing traveling with the Avatar, you traitor?" She was still yelling. Zuko struggled to find the words to calm her down, and make her feel better.

" I- I've changed. I'm not associated with the Fire Nation anymore." he tried.

"No." she countered. " I don't care what you've told them. You're a traitor . You'll never stop being a traitor, and you'll never stop being Fire Nation." she finished. She had calmed down now, she was smoldering with anger rather than burning with rage. Aang decided to speak up,

"Yana, we have a complicated past with Zuko too, but he really has proven to us that he wants to help us end this war." he reasoned. Aang had a way of talking that calmed people into seeing reason, but Yana wasn't having it.

"You don't understand. What he did, it's unforgivable. I can't forgive him. I'm sorry Avatar Aang."

Sokka, who decided he didn't need to hold Yana back anymore, spoke up.

"Look, it's about time for dinner, why don't we all sit down and eat, and we can talk…calmly." he pointed the last word towards Yana, and she nodded, still looking very much unhappy.

With Katara and Aang leading, Sokka and Yana following closely behind, and Zuko and Toph bringing up the rear, they made their way towards the dinner Katara had prepared. Toph leaned towards Zuko and whispered to him,

" So what did you do? This girl's ready to kill you." he bent down and whispered back,

"I'm sure everyone's about to hear." Toph nodded and they continued to take their seats around the fire. He made sure to sit straight across from Yana, just to be safe.

Zuko didn't feel like Fire Nation. He just felt confused. His perception of the "right" thing had changed so drastically, and although he felt like a good guy, he knew he was walking on eggshells. One good streak wasn't going to erase a lifetime of Fire Nation evil.

As usual, Katara took her time handing out plates of fish, rice and vegetables (just rice and vegetables for Aang). Once everyone was served, she took her own place at Aang's side. Zuko took his food with a quick "thanks" but he didn't feel like he could keep any food down.

The Gaang's usual playful banter was replaced with awkward silence, and Zuko was on edge. His face was stinging from the scratches he had received earlier and his appetite was spoiled. A couple times, Sokka tried to pick up conversation but no one was in the mood to talk. They wanted to listen. Toph, blunt as usual, started it off

" So, Yana… What's the deal with you and Zuko huh?" at that, Sokka, Katara and Aang all looked at Toph in surprise.

"What?" she said innocently, "We were all thinking it." Yana just shrugged,

"No, it's okay." she started.. " I guess it would be good for you to know, especially if you're planning to overthrow all of the Fire Nation's evil."

Aang piped up,

" Know what, Yana? I don't understand. With Zuko here, we have a huge advantage over the Fire Nation's military plans." he said excitedly. This was obviously something he treasured about Zuko's presence here. Yana laughed, a humorless, shaky laugh.

"Oh, he told you everything about the Fire Nation, did he?" she said with mock humor.

"Then I'm sure he told you _everything _about the Black Fire Circus then?" she said sarcastically. Zuko looked away in shame, but he could feel everyone's eyes on him.

"The Black Fire Circus?" Aang asked. Yana took a deep breath before continuing,

" The Black Fire Circus is the epitome of excitement fun and entertainment. It is adventure for the entire family. Our top facilities and talented acts will leave you on the edge of your seat, wanting more!" she was feigning an excited announcer, but her tone was bitter.

" That's what all the posters say anyways. But to really know what the Black Fire Circus was, was to know pure evil."

Everyone waited for her to continue.

"Oh, get comfortable" she said, "It's a long story."

**New update will be next Monday ****J**

**Reviews (even flames) are **_**much**_** appreciated.**


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